What you should know about American school lockers
'15.08.2019'
Source: deti.mail.ru
You've seen it in movies a hundred times in American schools. I remember being a schoolgirl, I looked and, on the one hand, envied, but on the other, I didn’t understand: what can I keep there?
In Russia, such lockers also exist, but not in schools, but in fitness clubs. My friend Anna has been living in the USA for seven years with her family. Once in a conversation, Anna said that they spent half a day with her daughter in a store on sale of goods for lockers. Locker? What lockers, I asked. So the idea of this article was born. And that is what Anna told me.
My eldest daughter last year went to middle school, 11 children are studying there. This is the average school level. Up to this age - from 5 to 10 years - children study in elementary school. There are no lockers in this school, since students are in the same classroom with one teacher. All textbooks are kept in the classroom; there are usually no exercise books. Homework children perform on sheets A4.
And in middle schoolbesides the new schedule and new items, my daughter had a locker - locker. Loker (locker) - this is like a luggage room for school supplies: books, notebooks and some personal items of the student. This is done so that the child does not carry heavy books and notebooks from class to class, as well as that he always has a supply of pencils, pens and personal hygiene items. For example, girls can have handkerchiefs, antiseptic, sanitary napkins and tampons, a mirror, cream and a telephone (during class, the phone in the classroom is prohibited).
There are locker systems in all schools (middle school) and the last step (high school). The fact is that compulsory schooling in the United States is divided into three stages: elementary school (6 years of study, from 5 to 10 years), middle school (3 year of study, from 11 to 13 years) and high school (3 year of study, from 14 to 16 years) - there is preparation for college, earning the first "credits" for the college. The more credits, the less pay tuition. All these schools are located in different buildings and are gradually being enlarged - thus in high school children from many gather middle schools.
Locker is a kind of subculture. In schools, the interior of the locker children make out to your liking. Before the start of classes, many stores open school bazaars, which buy office supplies, backpacks, lunch bags and items for lockers. As a rule, lockers are iron, and many items for them are on magnets. You can also buy additional shelves and all kinds of floor mats.
On the subject: Without a ruler, a form and verses by heart: what surprised me about the American school
During the day, in the intervals between lessons, children come to lockers and change books and notebooks depending on the lesson. There are no keys for lockers - there are code locks. The student receives the code at the beginning of the year along with the schedule. If there are not enough lockers, then use one for two. This happens, as a rule, in the second year of study. By this time, the child most often already has a close friend, with whom the locker will share. Lockers are different every year, but they do not change during the year.
I think the school administration can check the locker if there is any complaint about theft or something like that.
Teachers have nothing to do with this. This makes the administrative staff. Responsibilities here are clearly separated: the teacher only teaches, everything else is the business of the director and office staff.
Loker for me personally is something completely new, but very useful. Remembering my school childhood, I am very jealous of the local schoolchildren that they do not have to carry weights all six hours at school.
What is the use of school locker: the opinion of a psychologist
In my opinion, this is a very good moment in the organization of training - to have your own locker. First, it is really convenient in the sense that you do not need to carry textbooks, removable shoes and other things with you. Secondly, it is again convenient when you can leave personal hygiene items in the locker, something important for yourself.
For children, these lockers are important because in a huge school they have a personal place. After all, at school it is difficult to feel secluded, because the system of education itself does not provide for this: you are always in sight, assess you, your appearance and your knowledge. And such a locker helps to have something of your own, to feel separate from others. Plus - children get used to the fact that there is something namely them, for which they are personally liable and where there is no access to either parents or teachers.
On the subject: As an engineer from Belarus, opened an elite school of mathematics in the USA
To give children the opportunity to be responsible for some of their territory, not only at school, but also at home is the right move. If the child has his own room, let him be responsible for the order in it.
But most often parents are not ready for such a "feat", worrying that no one will be engaged in cleaning. Then you can give him at least something - a shelf in the closet, his desk, the same drawer for personal belongings. In short, it must be a place that only a child uses.
No matter how hard parents want to tidy up, you need to restrain and endure, because only through such an experience a child can learn and restore order, and be responsible for their things. After all, if all the t-shirts are wrinkled, then in the morning they will have to go to one. In addition, giving the part of the territory under the responsibility of the child, you make it clear to him that you believe in him, respect and reckon with him. For such an attitude, he will only be grateful to you.
